Barbara Walters Reveals Her Most Fascinating Person of 2015

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Caitlyn Jenner attends the 25th annual Glamour Women of the Year Awards at Carnegie Hall on Monday, Nov. 9, 2015, in New York.

Caitlyn Jenner was named Barbara Walters' Most Fascinating Person of 2015 for the very public and inspirational journey that she underwent this year.

"Our choice for the most fascinating person of the year was once called the world's greatest athlete," Walters started. "Traditionally, that title was given to the man who won the Olympic decathlon. When Bruce Jenner won it in 1976, it was a huge accomplishment. It had everybody talking. But it was nothing like this. When Bruce Jenner became Caitlyn Jenner, there was a seismic shift in the gender universe."

The tribute to Jenner, who wasn't interviewed, included clips from her speech at Glamour's Women of the Year Awards.

"For years and years, I never felt like I fit it anywhere. I always felt as an outsider," she said, when she accepted the award on Nov. 9. "I never felt good in the male side, and I wasn't, obviously, in the female side. I was kind of stuck in the middle."

Walters didn't shy away from highlighting the criticism that came with Caitlyn's transition, but also noted that her "celebrity brought new attention to the grim reality of life for many transgendered people."

"Maybe this is why God put me on this Earth," Caitlyn told the audience at the Glamour awards. “To tell my story, to be authentic to myself about who I am, and maybe, in doing that, maybe you can make a difference in the world. What a great opportunity in life to have."

Walters concluded by saying,”Famous and familiar, she raised awareness and acceptance of transgendered people. Through her own transformation, Caitlyn Jenner transformed society this year, and that, for us, makes her the most fascinating person of 2015."